The Irish standard., 1887-01-08
Wolfe ToEe,

Wolfe Tone came to America in 1895,
and after consultation with the French
Minister here went to France to urge
upon the Republican Directory the tit
ting out an expedition to ireland. He
met with many discouragements and
disapointments, but nerssvered with
indomitable energy until be convinced
Carnot, the War Minister, of the wis
dom Of his suggestions. The result
was that an expedition Of seventeen
sail of the line, Is frigates and Is
transports, with 1900 French troops
on board, and a large supply OF arms
for the Irish patriots, sailed from, Brest.
Wolfe Tone, who had been given the
rank Of Adjutant-G General in the French
service, was on one of the vessels. Had
the expedition succeeded. lreland's In
dependence would probably have been
established, for the United Irishmen
were at the zenith OF their power 1heI,
and could easily have put 100000 brave
men into the field, but the elements
fought Tor England, and the French
fleet was scattered by q furious gale.
Part of the expedition entered Bantry
Bay, but neither the admiral nor the
commander, Hoche, WAS with it, and
though Tone vehemently urged that
landing should be made with the
forces left, $500 men, the French
officers hesitated until hurri~
cane drove their vessels out Of the
harbor, and they made the best
of their way back to France. Tone was
almost heart-broken, but he did not re-
1inquish hope. In 1907 he persuaded
the Batavian or Dutch Republic, then
at wal with England, to fit out another
expedition almost as formidable as that
of Hoche. This assembled at Texel i'll
July, 1897, with Tone on board the flag
ship. Again the winds proved adverse.
For five weeks the expedition was con-
fined to port for lack OF favorable
breeze, until supplies ran low, the pa.
tience of the Dutch Government be-
came exhausted, aud the project was
abandoned. Still Tone strove to win
assistance for his countrYmen, and
again succeeded, though the French
Government would have nothing more
to do with him. In l79S, Gen. Hum
bert, gallant Fernch officer, called
the merchants and magistrates of Roeh-
ellie together and forced them to ad
vance q small sum of money, and en-
barking on board a few frigates with
only / 900 men he compelled the captains
to set out On the most desperate under
taking which is probably recorded in
history. That expedition landed its
forlorn hope, VINO won few glorious
victories, bnt were eventually sur
rounded and forced to surrender,
Tones brother, Matthew, was among
the prisoners captured, and was ex-
ecuted, Still undaunted, Tone perse-
yered in his mission until fourth ex-
pedition was fitted out under Gen.
Hardy, with Tone on board the ad.
1nirals vessel This expedition, too,
failed, the IIoche, on which Tone was,
being captured after heroic battle
against four English war-ships. Dur
ING the action Tone commanded one of
the French batteries and fought as if
he courted death. He was reserved for
amore tragic fate Taken prisoner and
recognized he was sentenced to death,
and either died by his own hand or, as
is generally believed, was murdered in
prison.-Irish World.
u "A British Minister is proof against an
argument, but not against bullet
/, ~, N6oo +